Callie James's Blog
April 28, 2020
Young Adult Urban Fantasy
I had a hiccup in writing the last four years (life!) and I'm back at it. I'm currently writing a young adult urban fantasy series that I'm very excited about while catching up on a lot of reading. Hope all of you are well out there during this pandemic. Keep reading.
Published on April 28, 2020 10:51
•
Tags:
reading, urban-fantasy, writing, ya
November 1, 2016
HOME TO STAY is now available in Kindle, Kindle Unlimited and print!

Home to Stay
She thought going it alone would finally be easier...until he returned home
Matt Brewer returns home from his latest covert assignment determined to fix his personal life and bond with the autistic son he barely knows. But his ex-wife's wary response to his untimely visit proves this mission might be one he can't win.
A decade of starts and stops has left Jessie Brewer hanging on by a frazzled, single-parent thread, and when Matt arrives during a critical point in their son's home schooling and horse therapy progress, she worries their success will be dismantled by Matt's traditional stubborn ways. Could their mutual love for a gifted son lead them to a new beginning?
EXCERPT
The flurry of noise and action left as the whirlwind child made his exit complete. Matt turned to Jessie as soon as Brody’s bedroom door closed. “So. McLeod. What’s that about?”
She looked weary and tired of looking at him. “What about him?”
“I’m not stupid, Jessica. How long? Before or after the divorce?”
The use of her full name was never a good idea. Adding serious insult to injury by questioning her fidelity while they were married was a desperate dig, but he couldn’t help it. Jealousy burned in his veins like acid. He needed the truth and making her mad was usually a good way to get it.
Her hands went to her hips as she squared off with him. “Okay, first, is there something wrong with his name?”
“No.”
“Then quit saying it like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re talking about smallpox or SARS.”
He shrugged.
“And if you want me to keep talking to you, don’t use my full name. You know I hate it.” She held up a finger, pointing it at him. “And don’t go letting that big brain of yours make all of this more complicated than it is. I have enough problems in my life. I won’t let you make Brody’s relationship with Cole one of them.”
“Brody’s relationship with Cole isn’t what I’m concerned about. It’s yours.”
“We’re friends.”
He forced out a blunt laugh. “I’ve seen you as friends. That wasn’t friendship. Thaaat was something else.”
“You are really making me mad, you know that?”
“Tough.”
“Maybe you don’t get how divorce works, Matt. A divorce means that you don’t have any say in my personal life anymore.”
Ah. Now that sounded like Jessie—drawing lines in the sand and telling him where to go if he didn’t comply. Combined with that finger she pointed at him—something she knew he disliked with a passion—it felt like coming home. “Has he proposed?”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Are you insane? We’ve been on a few dates.”
The knife twisted deeper. “What’s a few?”
“I’m not having this conversation with you,” she said. “Look, Brody already thinks we’re fighting—”
“We’re not fighting,” he said. “We’re finally talking.”
“Sounds like arguing to me. You always did confuse the two.”
“No confusion. We do everything passionately, Jess. It’s what we do.”
Her gaze dropped briefly to his chest and her cheeks turned pink. She turned, gripped the front door handle and swung the thing wide, motioning him out with a hand. “I have work tomorrow.”
“Fine. I’ll be by in the morning to take Brody out to breakfast.”
“Hey, Hard-of-Hearing,” she said as she grabbed his Stetson off the small table and shoved it at him. “I said it’s a school day tomorrow.”
“So?” He pulled the hat slightly down his forehead and grinned at her, supremely smug to be making a dent in that tough exterior. “Isn’t that one of the reasons you decided to homeschool him? So you could have more flexibility?” He walked around her and through the door, sensing her annoyed glare following him down step for step. Once his boots touched gravel, he turned to see her silhouette in the doorway, haloed by the light from the foyer. She perched her hands on her hips, and when his eyes adjusted to the different light, he noticed her sweet mouth twisted in a frown. Something about that stance brought out the devil in him, and he couldn’t help but challenge her once more. “Right?”
Published on November 01, 2016 12:34
•
Tags:
aspergers_syndrome, autism, contemporary_romance, hippotherapy, home-school, home_to_stay, ranch
August 21, 2016
HOME TO STAY now available on Kindle pre-order!

HOME TO STAY
She thought going it alone would finally be easier...until he returned home.
Matt Brewer returns home from his latest covert assignment determined to fix his personal life and bond with the autistic son he barely knows. But his ex-wife's wary response to his untimely visit proves this mission might be one he can't win.
A decade of starts and stops has left Jessie Brewer hanging on by a frazzled, single-parent thread, and when Matt arrives during a critical point in their son's home schooling and horse therapy progress, she worries their success will be dismantled by Matt's traditional stubborn ways. Could their mutual love for a gifted son lead them to a new beginning?
http://calliejamesauthor.com/adult-books
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KR490VS#...
Published on August 21, 2016 18:23
•
Tags:
aspergers_syndrome, autism, contemporary_romance, hippotherapy, home-school, home_to_stay, ranch
April 22, 2016
WRITERS: Self-Editing Fiction
SELF-EDITING FICTION
Step 1 - Seek and Destroy
Searching for specific words/phrases is a massive time sucker and often takes me weeks to complete, but I've found it's a process worth finishing. I usually cut my use of the words listed below by half and reduce my manuscript by 3,000-5,000 words. This is a great way to tighten up those sentences.
Since I have so many lists to share (and these are "short" lists), I'll keep my comments to a minimum. I've listed these in the following order:
1. Do you need all of those prepositions?
2. Change "to be" verbs (stop passive writing to make your sentences stronger).
3. Delete unnecessary words/phrases.
4. Find deep point of view opportunities.
5. Don't start sentences with these words.
6. Define indefinite words.
7. Check capitalization and specificity.
8. Remove or replace repetitive words/phrases.
1. DO YOU NEED ALL OF THOSE PREPOSITIONS? People often clutter sentences by using too many prepositions. A quick fix is to try to eliminate the preposition and make two sentences. The preposition or prepositional phrase is often not needed.
aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
amid
among
anti
around
as
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
but
by
concerning
considering
despite
down
during
except
excepting
excluding
following
for
from
in
inside
into
like
minus
near of
off
on
onto
opposite
outside
over
past
per
plus
regarding
round
save
since
than
through
to
toward
towards
under
underneath
unlike
until
up
upon
versus
via
with
within
without
2. CHANGE "TO BE" VERBS (STOP PASSIVE WRITING). Try to make the doer the subject of your sentence.
Am
Are
Is
Was
Were
Be
Being
Been
Become
Became
Have
Has
3. DELETE UNNECESSARY WORDS/PHRASES. These will clutter your sentences.
A lot
Actually
Almost
Although
Always
Awfully
Basically
Begin/Beginning
Certainly
Essentially
Even
Extremely
For a moment
Generally
In spite of
It occurred
Just
Kind of
Literally
Mostly
Nearly
Perhaps
Pretty much
Quite
Rather
Really
Slowly
So
Something
Sometime
Somewhat
Sort of
Started/Starting
Suddenly
Sure
That
Then
Usually
Very
Yet
Most words ending in "ing" and "ly"
4. FIND DEEP POINT OF VIEW OPPORTUNITIES. No doubt, you've heard to show and not tell. When you find these words below, see if you can reword from a deep point of view perspective. For example, substitute "she felt sick" with "her stomach churned" or "she tasted bile." You get the idea.
Feel/Felt
Hear(d)
Think/Thought
Know/Knew
Notice(d)
Realize(d)
See/Saw
Seem(ed)
Watch(ed)
Wonder(ed)
5. DON'T START SENTENCES WITH THESE WORDS.
• Hopefully
• Fortunately
• It is
• There is
• There are
6. DEFINE INDEFINITE WORDS. This helps to avoid confusing the reader.
• Few
• Many
• Some
• Pronouns
7. CHECK CAPITALIZATION AND SPECIFICITY. Search names and pronouns. I find after so many passes, I'll often miss mistakes like "my Mom" should be "my mom." No capitalization needed in this case.
8. REMOVE OR REPLACE REPETITIVE WORDS AND PHRASES. This list will be your own personal list of words/phrases you use too often. I'm sharing words/phrases below that I overuse.
Again
At least
Definitely
Glanced
Heart
Laugh
Likely
Look
Nod
Possibly
Probably
Sigh
Smile
Stared
Turned
Was deciding
Was going to
Was happening
Yeah
This is a constantly changing list for me, and each time I go through the process, I get a little better at not making these mistakes. However, I sometimes pick up new problems while trying to avoid old ones.
After several self-editing passes, crushing self-doubt will begin to overwhelm me and I have to fight a burning desire to chuck my manuscript into the trash. That’s how I know I’ve reached Step 2. Time to hand over your baby to someone else.
Step 2 - An Honest Look
Beta readers and critique partners are important for any writer to have. That said, I highly recommend only asking people you trust.
• Beta readers should be anyone with an interest in what you write. Preferably someone who has good copy editing skills and can spot obvious errors. Send your manuscript to 2-3 beta readers.
It still surprises me when I get the copy edits back with all of those glaring mistakes that I can no longer see. Mistakes such as "the" instead of "they" or "conservation" instead of "conservative." Easy fixes, but wow, those errors would have marred the final product to the point of distraction.
• Critique partners should be mentors or experts in your field/genre who read a great deal of the subject matter. They also need to be people who will give you an honest opinion.
Hopefully, you’ve already gone over your story scene by scene. You’ve made sure the chapters are similar in length and that you’re at least close to adhering to standard industry chapter word counts:
1500-3500 words for YA
2000-4500 words for Adult
You also note that each chapter:
1. Begins by describing some new problem.
2. Raises the stakes for the main character and/or characters.
3. Concludes at some critical decision or turning point.
These are issues a critique partner might spot faster than you can, as well as pacing, timeline or blocking issues. For instance, a sagging middle likely means you've missed steps 1, 2 and/or 3 for a scene, a whole chapter or even several chapters.
If a scene/chapter does not include these three elements, consider adding or deleting to the scene/chapter until it does. You may even consider deleting altogether, especially if you’re trying to cull enough of the manuscript to fit into a publisher’s word count guidelines.
Once I incorporate the final edits, I usually make one final pass, preferably in a different format (I read the final pass in printed format). Manuscripts look very different in the various formats available and you may find a few more errors on that last read because of it.
Good luck!
Step 1 - Seek and Destroy
Searching for specific words/phrases is a massive time sucker and often takes me weeks to complete, but I've found it's a process worth finishing. I usually cut my use of the words listed below by half and reduce my manuscript by 3,000-5,000 words. This is a great way to tighten up those sentences.
Since I have so many lists to share (and these are "short" lists), I'll keep my comments to a minimum. I've listed these in the following order:
1. Do you need all of those prepositions?
2. Change "to be" verbs (stop passive writing to make your sentences stronger).
3. Delete unnecessary words/phrases.
4. Find deep point of view opportunities.
5. Don't start sentences with these words.
6. Define indefinite words.
7. Check capitalization and specificity.
8. Remove or replace repetitive words/phrases.
1. DO YOU NEED ALL OF THOSE PREPOSITIONS? People often clutter sentences by using too many prepositions. A quick fix is to try to eliminate the preposition and make two sentences. The preposition or prepositional phrase is often not needed.
aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
amid
among
anti
around
as
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
but
by
concerning
considering
despite
down
during
except
excepting
excluding
following
for
from
in
inside
into
like
minus
near of
off
on
onto
opposite
outside
over
past
per
plus
regarding
round
save
since
than
through
to
toward
towards
under
underneath
unlike
until
up
upon
versus
via
with
within
without
2. CHANGE "TO BE" VERBS (STOP PASSIVE WRITING). Try to make the doer the subject of your sentence.
Am
Are
Is
Was
Were
Be
Being
Been
Become
Became
Have
Has
3. DELETE UNNECESSARY WORDS/PHRASES. These will clutter your sentences.
A lot
Actually
Almost
Although
Always
Awfully
Basically
Begin/Beginning
Certainly
Essentially
Even
Extremely
For a moment
Generally
In spite of
It occurred
Just
Kind of
Literally
Mostly
Nearly
Perhaps
Pretty much
Quite
Rather
Really
Slowly
So
Something
Sometime
Somewhat
Sort of
Started/Starting
Suddenly
Sure
That
Then
Usually
Very
Yet
Most words ending in "ing" and "ly"
4. FIND DEEP POINT OF VIEW OPPORTUNITIES. No doubt, you've heard to show and not tell. When you find these words below, see if you can reword from a deep point of view perspective. For example, substitute "she felt sick" with "her stomach churned" or "she tasted bile." You get the idea.
Feel/Felt
Hear(d)
Think/Thought
Know/Knew
Notice(d)
Realize(d)
See/Saw
Seem(ed)
Watch(ed)
Wonder(ed)
5. DON'T START SENTENCES WITH THESE WORDS.
• Hopefully
• Fortunately
• It is
• There is
• There are
6. DEFINE INDEFINITE WORDS. This helps to avoid confusing the reader.
• Few
• Many
• Some
• Pronouns
7. CHECK CAPITALIZATION AND SPECIFICITY. Search names and pronouns. I find after so many passes, I'll often miss mistakes like "my Mom" should be "my mom." No capitalization needed in this case.
8. REMOVE OR REPLACE REPETITIVE WORDS AND PHRASES. This list will be your own personal list of words/phrases you use too often. I'm sharing words/phrases below that I overuse.
Again
At least
Definitely
Glanced
Heart
Laugh
Likely
Look
Nod
Possibly
Probably
Sigh
Smile
Stared
Turned
Was deciding
Was going to
Was happening
Yeah
This is a constantly changing list for me, and each time I go through the process, I get a little better at not making these mistakes. However, I sometimes pick up new problems while trying to avoid old ones.
After several self-editing passes, crushing self-doubt will begin to overwhelm me and I have to fight a burning desire to chuck my manuscript into the trash. That’s how I know I’ve reached Step 2. Time to hand over your baby to someone else.
Step 2 - An Honest Look
Beta readers and critique partners are important for any writer to have. That said, I highly recommend only asking people you trust.
• Beta readers should be anyone with an interest in what you write. Preferably someone who has good copy editing skills and can spot obvious errors. Send your manuscript to 2-3 beta readers.
It still surprises me when I get the copy edits back with all of those glaring mistakes that I can no longer see. Mistakes such as "the" instead of "they" or "conservation" instead of "conservative." Easy fixes, but wow, those errors would have marred the final product to the point of distraction.
• Critique partners should be mentors or experts in your field/genre who read a great deal of the subject matter. They also need to be people who will give you an honest opinion.
Hopefully, you’ve already gone over your story scene by scene. You’ve made sure the chapters are similar in length and that you’re at least close to adhering to standard industry chapter word counts:
1500-3500 words for YA
2000-4500 words for Adult
You also note that each chapter:
1. Begins by describing some new problem.
2. Raises the stakes for the main character and/or characters.
3. Concludes at some critical decision or turning point.
These are issues a critique partner might spot faster than you can, as well as pacing, timeline or blocking issues. For instance, a sagging middle likely means you've missed steps 1, 2 and/or 3 for a scene, a whole chapter or even several chapters.
If a scene/chapter does not include these three elements, consider adding or deleting to the scene/chapter until it does. You may even consider deleting altogether, especially if you’re trying to cull enough of the manuscript to fit into a publisher’s word count guidelines.
Once I incorporate the final edits, I usually make one final pass, preferably in a different format (I read the final pass in printed format). Manuscripts look very different in the various formats available and you may find a few more errors on that last read because of it.
Good luck!
Published on April 22, 2016 05:56
•
Tags:
callie-james, seek-and-destroy, self-editing-fiction
March 9, 2016
Two Giveaways
I'm running a Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 2 signed copies of Student Bodyguard for Hire and/or Innocent (with new covers!). You can find details on my website's Giveaways page.
http://calliejamesauthor.com/giveaways
http://calliejamesauthor.com/giveaways
Published on March 09, 2016 04:44
February 21, 2016
Student Bodyguard for Hire free on Kindle!
Free YA on Kindle! Award-winning young adult novel, Student Bodyguard for Hire by Callie James, is free on Kindle February 21 thru February 25. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JNI3JRG
"Readers will not be able to put down this book!" - InD'tale Magazine
Student Bodyguard for Hire
When her younger brother becomes victim to Ridgeview High’s worst group of bullies, Peyton Greene sets out to hire the most feared student in school to protect him. It never occurs to her that the antisocial, two-time senior won’t agree to do it, even for the large sum she’s willing to pay.
Sam Guerra can’t afford to pick a fight at school and risk another expulsion, but after witnessing the beginning of a humiliating locker room beat down, he gets involved anyway. Soon more students approach him with offers of money and requests for protection. Having zero interest in becoming anyone’s bodyguard, he finds other students willing to take his place for the same fee. A growing list of names rapidly morphs into a reason to approach the pretty geek again, and despite the stark differences in his and Peyton’s backgrounds, they begin seeing each other outside of school.
But everything changes when Peyton transforms the list into a bodyguard website for a class project. What happens next turns the senior class assignment into a non-profit, nationwide project that will ultimately tear her parents' marriage apart and the town in two as it fuels the hot topic of violence to stop violence in an already divided nation. Her struggle to do the right thing becomes even more complicated when she learns of Sam’s dark past and equally violent present—information that could compromise their relationship, her reputation, and the integrity of a successful, anti-violence project she refuses to quit.
"Readers will not be able to put down this book!" - InD'tale Magazine
Student Bodyguard for Hire
When her younger brother becomes victim to Ridgeview High’s worst group of bullies, Peyton Greene sets out to hire the most feared student in school to protect him. It never occurs to her that the antisocial, two-time senior won’t agree to do it, even for the large sum she’s willing to pay.
Sam Guerra can’t afford to pick a fight at school and risk another expulsion, but after witnessing the beginning of a humiliating locker room beat down, he gets involved anyway. Soon more students approach him with offers of money and requests for protection. Having zero interest in becoming anyone’s bodyguard, he finds other students willing to take his place for the same fee. A growing list of names rapidly morphs into a reason to approach the pretty geek again, and despite the stark differences in his and Peyton’s backgrounds, they begin seeing each other outside of school.
But everything changes when Peyton transforms the list into a bodyguard website for a class project. What happens next turns the senior class assignment into a non-profit, nationwide project that will ultimately tear her parents' marriage apart and the town in two as it fuels the hot topic of violence to stop violence in an already divided nation. Her struggle to do the right thing becomes even more complicated when she learns of Sam’s dark past and equally violent present—information that could compromise their relationship, her reputation, and the integrity of a successful, anti-violence project she refuses to quit.
Published on February 21, 2016 07:08
•
Tags:
bullying, callie-james, ebook, romance, ya
December 20, 2015
INNOCENT for free on Kindle!
INNOCENT, the multi-award-winning novel by Callie James, is free on Kindle Dec. 20th through Dec. 24th. To find happiness with the boy she loves, Missy must first acknowledge a past she’s kept hidden too long.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT8RX6G
Will Moore has been Missy Jamison’s best friend for years, and until recently, she hadn’t considered going "there" with him for fear of losing the only relationship she trusts. But senior year is almost over and dating other people hasn’t worked out, not with Missy’s crazy home life constantly pushing her further into Will’s safer world, making her attraction to her BFF more difficult to ignore.
When a forgery incident at school lands Missy under house arrest and banned from spending time with Will, she’s unable to ignore her dysfunctional home life any longer. In a desperate attempt for self-preservation, Missy finds herself back with Will and this time things are different.
But the direct violation of her mother’s edict proves the perfect catalyst to push her pill-popping mother over the edge and Missy’s home life past the point of no return. Now her only chance for normalcy will require Missy to ask herself if staying silent for so many years was truly about protecting herself from her past, or more about protecting a mother who never protected her.
Innocent
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT8RX6G
Will Moore has been Missy Jamison’s best friend for years, and until recently, she hadn’t considered going "there" with him for fear of losing the only relationship she trusts. But senior year is almost over and dating other people hasn’t worked out, not with Missy’s crazy home life constantly pushing her further into Will’s safer world, making her attraction to her BFF more difficult to ignore.
When a forgery incident at school lands Missy under house arrest and banned from spending time with Will, she’s unable to ignore her dysfunctional home life any longer. In a desperate attempt for self-preservation, Missy finds herself back with Will and this time things are different.
But the direct violation of her mother’s edict proves the perfect catalyst to push her pill-popping mother over the edge and Missy’s home life past the point of no return. Now her only chance for normalcy will require Missy to ask herself if staying silent for so many years was truly about protecting herself from her past, or more about protecting a mother who never protected her.
Innocent
Published on December 20, 2015 07:25
•
Tags:
callie-james, free-kindle, innocent
September 25, 2015
Living Every Minute
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace & gratitude.” –
Denis Waitley
Published on September 25, 2015 07:25
September 20, 2015
INNOCENT for free! First time!
My award-winning young adult romance, INNOCENT, is free on Kindle Sunday, Sept 20 through Thursday, Sept 24, 2015. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LT8RX6G.
Will Moore has been Missy Jamison’s best friend for years, and until recently, she hadn’t considered going "there" with him for fear of losing the only relationship she trusts. But senior year is almost over and dating other people hasn’t worked out, not with Missy’s crazy home life constantly pushing her further into Will’s safer world, making her attraction to her BFF more difficult to ignore.
When a forgery incident at school lands Missy under house arrest and banned from spending time with Will, she’s unable to ignore her dysfunctional home life any longer. In a desperate attempt for self-preservation, Missy finds herself back with Will and this time things are different.
But the direct violation of her mother’s edict proves the perfect catalyst to push her pill-popping mother over the edge and Missy’s home life past the point of no return. Now her only chance for normalcy will require Missy to ask herself if staying silent for so many years was truly about protecting herself from her past, or more about protecting a mother who never protected her.
INNOCENT won the Young Adult category for the 2015 Booksellers' Best Award, the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, and the 2015 Wisconsin RWA Write Touch Readers' Award. INNOCENT also went on to final in the Young Adult category of the 2015 Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Awards, the 2015 Book Buyers Best Contest, the 2015 Award of Excellence Contest, the 2015 Maggie Award of Excellence, the 2015 Golden Quill Contest, the Chatelaine Awards 2014, and the 2015 RONE Awards.
Will Moore has been Missy Jamison’s best friend for years, and until recently, she hadn’t considered going "there" with him for fear of losing the only relationship she trusts. But senior year is almost over and dating other people hasn’t worked out, not with Missy’s crazy home life constantly pushing her further into Will’s safer world, making her attraction to her BFF more difficult to ignore.
When a forgery incident at school lands Missy under house arrest and banned from spending time with Will, she’s unable to ignore her dysfunctional home life any longer. In a desperate attempt for self-preservation, Missy finds herself back with Will and this time things are different.
But the direct violation of her mother’s edict proves the perfect catalyst to push her pill-popping mother over the edge and Missy’s home life past the point of no return. Now her only chance for normalcy will require Missy to ask herself if staying silent for so many years was truly about protecting herself from her past, or more about protecting a mother who never protected her.
INNOCENT won the Young Adult category for the 2015 Booksellers' Best Award, the 2015 National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, and the 2015 Wisconsin RWA Write Touch Readers' Award. INNOCENT also went on to final in the Young Adult category of the 2015 Aspen Gold Reader's Choice Awards, the 2015 Book Buyers Best Contest, the 2015 Award of Excellence Contest, the 2015 Maggie Award of Excellence, the 2015 Golden Quill Contest, the Chatelaine Awards 2014, and the 2015 RONE Awards.
Published on September 20, 2015 10:22
•
Tags:
callie-james, free-kindle, innocent
September 4, 2015
Happiness
Happiness can exist only in acceptance. –George Orwell
Published on September 04, 2015 06:00